Harappan domestic architecture
Topic: Harappan (Sindhu-Sarasvati) Civilisation · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 1 "Bricks, Beads and Bones"
Meaning
Harappan domestic architecture means the way ordinary Harappan houses were built. Most houses were in the Lower Town. Each house was built around an open courtyard, with rooms on all sides. The design shows that people cared about privacy, hygiene and a supply of water.
Example
At Mohenjo-daro, the walls facing the street had no windows at ground level. The front door did not give a direct view of the courtyard. Each house had its own brick-paved bathroom, with a drain that joined the street drain. Many houses had staircases to a second storey or the roof. Many had wells in rooms that people could easily reach, and the city had about 700 wells in all.
Don't confuse with
- Great Bath: The Great Bath was a large, unique tank on the Citadel, probably used for ritual bathing. It was not a public bath, because most houses already had their own bathrooms.
Related concepts
- Harappan town planning
- Citadel
- Lower Town
- Upper town and lower town
- Harappan bricks
- Harappan drainage system
- Mohenjo-daro
- Great Bath of Mohenjo-daro
- Warehouse of Mohenjo-daro
- Dholavira reservoirs